Packaging structure



May 3, 1960 T. B. OCONNELL PACKAGING STRUCTURE 2 Shqqts-Shcpt 1 Filed m 21, 1956 mamas B. o'comveu uvmvmg.

lfldl/l 'l May 3, 1960 1". B. OCONNELL 2,935,222

PACKAGING STRUCTURE Filnd May 21. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet z Tll mns B. O'caWELL IN VEN TOR.

tit-tir d S a s Petfifl o i PACKAGING STRUCTURE Thomas B. OConnell, Forest Hills, N.Y.

Appiication May 21, 1956, Serial N 586,280 3 Claims. (01. 220-41) This invention relates to bottle mounts or packages.

It IS an object of the present invention to provide a bottle mount or package which is light in weight and wh ch will position therewithin a plurality of bottles in rigid, freely spaced relationship to each other to permit a large number to be handled without inconvenience and breakage.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bottle mount of the above type which is particularly designed for liquor bottles and which, by a plurality of inserts, is adapted to package liquor bottles of any desired size.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide means for stacking a plurality of bottle mounts of the above type in fixed relationship to each other to permit the handling of large quantities and which means may be easily and readily disassembled to provide con: venient access to the bottle mounts.

Other objects are to provide a bottle mount bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has

a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efiective in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of.

the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the invention in use with quart bottles or four-fifths of a quart bottle;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig.2 but illustrating the invention in use with pint bottles;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the invention in use with half-pint bottles; 7

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the invention in use with standard fifth bottles; 7

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the invention in use with miniatures;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view shown alone of the tree for mounting the miniature bottles within the package;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of package;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a clip adapted to be used with the present invention and shown in operative use; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a rack design for holding a plurality of packages or bottle mounts in fixed relationship to each other to permit the handling of large quantities as a unit.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 10 indicates generally.

a bottle mount or package embodying the features of the present invention and including a container A and a cover therefor B. The container A and cover B are each formed of a unitary material, for example aluminum or 2,925,222 Patented other light malleable metal or alloys thereof, plastics or other substances having similar characteristics.

As shown in Fig. 2, the container A includes the sub stantially rectangular bottom wall 11 provided with "a plurality of upwardly stamped cylindrical members 12,

the cylindrical members 12 being hollow and open at inwardly stamped grooves 16 extending around the four sides of the container. 7 Y

The cover member B includes a substantially rectangularly top wall 17 formed with a plurality of downwardly stamped, hollow cylindrical members 18 of less diameter than themembers 12, and aligned vertically with the latter in concentric relationship. The top wall 17 around 'its periphery is integrally formed with the upwardly and outwardly curved lip 19 which is in turn integrally formed at its upper outer edge with the downwardly and outwardly curved side wall 20 which is adapted to be frictionally fitted downwardly onto the side wall 14. The lower edge of the side wall 20 is curved outwardly, and

upwardly, as at 21, to facilitate the interengagement of the container and cover members A and B, as will be obvious.

A plurality of separable inserts C are provided and include the hollow, frusto-conical central portion 22 formed around its periphery with the upwardly extending peripheral wall 23, the upper surface of the frusto-conical portion 22 being adapted to support thereon the bottom of the quart or four-fifth quart liquor bottle 24 with the bottom thereof retained by the lip 23, as shown in Fig. 2. The bottles 24 will contain wines and include the usual cork 25 which terminates below the cylindrical portions 18. Each of the frusto-conical portions 22 around its periphery is provided with the circular groove 26 which receives upwardly therewithin the upper end of the cylindrical portions 12 whereby to retain the inserts C in fixed engagement with the portions 12.

A plurality of separable inserts D are provided of disc shape and are integrally formed around their periphery with the upwardly extending peripheral wall 27 provided with the circular groove 28 which receives downwardly therewithin the lower end of the cylindrical portions 18 whereby to retain the inserts D in engagement therewith. The undersurface of the discs D are integrally formed with the peripheral depending skirt 29 which embraces therewithin the cork 25 whereby the inserts C and D will cooperate with each other to fixedly retain the bottles 24 within the package in vertically spaced relationship to each other to facilitate the con venient handling of the twelve bottles and to prevent their breakage. The inserts C and D may be formed of soft vinyl plastic or other inert substances having characteristics of rubber. To remove the bottles it is only necessary to remove the cover B from the container A.

With such removal, inserts D frictionally engaged-to= corks 25 will be carried by cover B since the engagement of inserts D to groove 28 is frictionally greater than to corks 25, thus permitting the easy and ready removal of the bottles 24.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 3, there is shown,

In this form, the in- V r V V .3 ing the circular groove 32 which receives upwardly therewithin the open upper end of the cylindrical portions 12 whereby to fixedly position the inserts E on the upper ends thereof. The upper. surface of the-inclined central wall v30 .is integrally formed with the. hollow cylindrical, portion 33 which is a dapted -to. receive-therewithin the lower. end of thelbottles 24a.

.-A tray 34 is removablysupported at. peiipherylon the inwardly bent grooves 16 .and serves tocsupport thereon the cup sha ped insertsF. .As shownin Fig.3, the tray .34 is provided withlsuitable openings which receive downwardly therethrough the I innermost pair of The outermost inserts F are supported on the. tray and areformed at theirouter ends with the inclined cylin- 'drical portions .36 which-receive upwardly therewithin' in: resilient engagement the neck'sr37 of thezbottles'24a therebelow, the tray34 being provided with openings aligned with the cylindrical portionsf36L Thetray 34 isvalso provided with-openings which receive the necks 3 7 upwardly therethrough intermediate the inner. inserts Ff and outer inserts F to resiliently engagethe' latter.

' T'huspby the substitution of the inserts E andlF and cylindrical portions '12. The upper surface of the disc' 38 is integrally formed with 'the two cylindrical portions 40"which receive downwardly therewithin' the lower ends ofthebottles24b, A tray 41 is removab ly positioned' at'the top'of the container A, being provide'd around: itsLpen'phery withthe resilient covering42 which rests-on'one of the inwardly pressed grooves 116. T.'I:he' tray 41 is also provided with the circular openings whlch receive therewithin' the inserts I.

Each of the inserts I includes the. disc or plate 43 provided around its periphcry with the 'groove44 which receives therewithin the portiomof the tray-.41surrounding the openings therein,

as will be obvious. Each of the discs 43 is integrally forrnedwith the twozcu'p-shaped portions 45 on its upper surface which receive downwardly therewithin the lower ends:ofathebottles124b. The undersurface of eachof the plates 43 is integrally formed with the inverted cupshaped members46 which receive upwardly therewithin theiolosures-25b of the bottles.

r-Each .of the inserts H includes the central wall .47

integrally: formed on its'upper surface with the concentric eylindr-ical.portion 48 havingagrcove 49 which receives'downwardly therewithintheloweropen end of the'cylindrical portions 18. The undersurface .ofeach of theplates or discs 47 is-integrally formed with the inverted cup-shaped membersSl) (two in number) which receive .upwardly'therewithin the closures '25b-of the upper.section ofbottles. Thus,the container A and cover .13: is adapted for forty-eighthalf pint bottles 24b by replacing the previous inserts with the-inserts G, H-

and" I.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, the package is shown adapted forstandard fifths bottles 24c having the closures 25c, twelve bottles being accommodated. Thec'ontainer'is adapted for such bottles'by replacingthe previous inserts'with the inserts J and K.

Each of the inserts] includes the Idisc 51 integrally formed-around .it's periphery with the dependingskirt inserts .F', the latterbeing connected by the portion 35.

" equi-angularly'spac'ed arcuate cutouts 63 .adapted to sup SQhaving anFannuJar groove 53 which-receives upwardly l therewithinin frictional engagement the open upper end tion 54 which snugly receives therewithin the lower end of the bottle 24c. V

' Each of the inserts K includes the circular disc 55 provided on its upper surface with the annular groove 56 which receives downwardly therewithin the lower open end of the cylindrical portions 18, the disc 55 on its lower surface around its periphery being integrally formed with. cup-shapedportion (inverted) 57 which receives upwardly therewithin the closures 25c of the bottles.

Referring now particularly to. Figs. 6.and 7, the package is shown in use with miniatures 24d. In this case the insertsof theiprevious forms-arereplaced by a tree havinga circular base portion.5 8 formed on its under surface with the annular groove 59 which receives therewithin the open upper end of the cylindrical portions 12, the base 58 being formed of the same material as the previous inserts. A vertical rod 60 is mounted'in' the center of the base 58 and fixedlymountsat its upper end the hemispherical portion 61, integrally formed around its lower periphery with the outwardly extending flange'62, the'top 61 beingformed' of the samem-aterial-as'base58. The flange 62 is provided with the'four port-therein" the body portions or 'the' inverted miniatures 24d with the lower ends or closures 25d supportedon the plate 64 suitably secured to therod 60 and concentric' therewith. 'The' plate64 isprovided with the equi angularly spaced circular openings, 65 which receive therewithin the'closures 25d, "as will be obvious; The plate 64 is also provided with the four ,equi angularly spaced-'ar'cuate'cutouts for the same purpose .asthe plate'62.

A secorid plate 67' is suitably mounted below thejplate 64 and is provided with the four equi-angularly spaced arcuatecutouts "68- as well as the angularly spaced circular openings 69. Finally; the upper surface of the base 58 isformed with'the'circular ridges 70 which surround the-circular openings 71 adapted'to receivei'the closures 25dofthe' lowermost bottles'24d. "It' will'be noted that the circular openings 65, 69 and 71" at the bottoms thereof are inclined to the'horizontal so asto support the lower ends ofthe closures 25d.in"the same manner, and that the edges of the arcuate portions 63, 66 and68are similarly inclined to supportthe sides'of. the bottles, substantially as illustrated. The tree will contain .twelve miniatures when fully loaded occupying'the same 'areaas one fifth bottle.

Referring now particularly to'Fig. 9; therev is showna is integrally formed with the vertical portion 73 which abuts the side ofthe cover B, the portion 73 atits upper end being integrally formed with the upwardlyand outwardly extending portion 74 tofac'ilitate its removal from the package. The lower end of the S-shaped portion 72 is integrally formed with the vertical portion 75 adapted to abut the side 14 of the container. Thus, the. clipmay be snapped into the groove. 16 and. beyondthel lip 21 to firmly retain the coverin engagement with the container.

Referring now particularly to'Fig. '8, there is shown amodified 'fOIHLOf the presentinvention including the container .L;and thecoverM adapted'to be. fitted downwardly thereon. V p

The container L includes the rectangular bottom wall 76 integrally formed around its periphery with the downwardly andtoutw'ardly extending skirt ,77 which is in turn integrally formed at its'outer end withthe outwardly and upwardly curved 'side wa'll'78; intermediate the. bottom wall and the upperedge, the side wall 78' is provided with 'thecontinuous inwardly pressed groove79,;arid.near' its upper edge is provided with the inwardly pressed annular groove 80 and terminates at its upper edge in the inwardly and downwardly bent lip 81.

The cover M includes the rectangular top wall 82 integrally formed around its periphery with the downwardly and outwardly curved skirt 83 which is in turn integrally formed with the outwardly extending flange 84 which terminates in the outwardly and downwardly curved side wall 85. The lower edge of the side wall 85 is formed with the inwardly pressed ridge 86 adapted to fit within the groove 80 of the container, the ridge portion 86 at its lower edge terminating in the upwardly and outwardly bent lip 87. The side wall 85 intermediate the ridge 86 and flange 84 is formed with the inwardly pressed annular groove 88 defining an internal ridge on the inner surface of the wall.

A tray 89 is formed around its periphery with the upwardly bent edges 90 which are adapted to rest on the ridge 79 whereby to limit the downward displacement of the tray within the container, the tray 89 being formed with the downwardly stamped cup-shaped portions 91 adapted to support therewithin the lower ends of the bottles 92.

A second tray 93 is provided with the openings 94 upwardly pressed therethrough which receives therethrough the necks 95 of the bottles 92. The periphery of the tray 93 is downwardly bent, as at 96, and is adapted to abut the ridge 38 when the cover is placed onto the container. Thus, a firm, tight engagement will exist and will prevent the bottles from rattling. To remove the bottles, it is only necessary to remove the cover M, whereupon the tray 93 may then be removed from the bottles, perrnitting the removal of the latter from the tray 89.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 10, there is shown a rack indicated generally at 97 for securing a plurality of bottle mounts together and including the end frame members 98 connected by the longitudinal frame members 99, substantially as illustrated. Skids 100 are secured to the undersurface of the end frame members 98. Trapezoidal shaped tongues 101 are secured in longitudinally spaced relationship to the inner edges of the outer frame members 99 and to opposite sides of the inner frame members 99 and are adapted to support the bottle mounts thereon, the skirt portions 13 of the bottle mounts fitting downwardly intermediate the tongues 101. Corner posts 102 extend upwardly from the corners of the frame and are connected at their upper ends by the upper frame members 103 and 104. The upper portions of the corner posts 102 above the frame members 103, 104 are provided with the bifurcated portions 105 which pivotally mount the hooks 106 to facilitate the movement of the rack as a unit and the bottle mounts therewithin. The longitudinal rods 107 connect the frame members 103 intermediate the frame members 104 and serve to retain the bottle mounts in proper position on the rack.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle mount comprising a container, a removable cover for said container, means for supporting the lower ends of a plurality of bottles in said container against lateral displacement in freely spaced relationship to each other and means carried by said cover for supporting the upper ends of the bottles against lateral movement, said container comprising a bottom wall having a plurality of upwardly pressed hollow cylindrical portions formed therein over its entire area, and a side wall enclosing said bottom wall and upwardly extending cylindrical portions, said cylindrical portions being open at the top and bottom, said container comprising a top wall having a plurality of downwardly formed hollow cylindrical portions of less diameter than said first hollow cylindrical portions and aligned vertically I! therewith in concentric relationship, and a depending side wall formed around the periphery of said top wall adapted to fit onto the upper end of said container side wall in nesting relationship, said means for retaining the lower end of the bottles on said container bottom wall comprising a removable insert of hollow, substantially frusto-conical shape, having its smaller end disposed up-r permost and adapted to fit within the recess at the bottom of said bottle, said frusto-conical insert around its periphery on the undersurface thereof having an annular groove adapted to receive upwardly therewithin the open upper end of said first cylindrical portions, said insert around its periphery on the upper surface thereof being formed with an annular lip adapted to surround the lower end of the bottle whereby to prevent the same from lateral displacement, said means for retaining the upper ends of the bottle against displacement comprising a second insert having an annular groove on its upper surface adapted to receive therewithin the lower ends of said second hollow cylindrical portions, said second insert on the undersurface thereof being formed with a depending skirt adapted to receive therewithin the upper ends of the wine bottles.

2. A bottle mount comprising a container, a removable cover for said container, means for supporting the lower ends of a plurality of bottles in said container against lateral displacement in freely spaced relationship to each other and means carried by said cover for supporting the upper ends of the bottles against lateral movement, said container comprising a bottom wall having a plurality of upwardly pressed hollow cylindrical portions formed therein over its entire area, and a side wall enclosing said bottom wall and upwardly extending cylindrical portions, said cylindrical portions being open at the top and bottom, said container comprising a top wall having a plurality of downwardly formed hollow cylindrical portions of less diameter than said first hollow cylindrical portions and aligned vertically therewith in concentric relationship, and a depending side wall formed around the periphery of said top wall adapted to fit into the upper end of said container side wall in nesting relationship, said means for securing the lower ends of the bottles on said container comprising first inserts formed on their undersurface with annular grooves receiving therewithin the open upper ends of said first hollow cylindrical portions, the upper surfaces of said inserts being cupped out and adapted to support therewithin the lower ends of the bottles, and second inserts, said second inserts having an annular groove on the upper surface thereof receiving downwardly therewithin the lower open end of said second hollow cylindrical portions, the undersurface of said second inserts being formed with inserted cup-shaped portions receiving therewithin the upper ends of the bottles.

3. A bottle mount comprising a container, a removable cover for said container, means for supporting the lower ends of a plurality of bottles in said container against lateral displacement in freely spaced relationship to each other, and means carried by said cover for supporting the upper ends of the bottles against movement, said container comprising a bottom 'wall having a plurality of upwardly pressed hollow cylindrical portions formed therein over its entire area, and a side wall enclosing said bottom wall and upwardly extending cylindrical portions, said cylindrical portions being open at the top and bottom, said container comprising a top Wall having a plurality of downwardly formed hollow cylindrical portions of less diameter than said first hollow cylindrical portions and aligned vertically therewith in concentric relationship, and a depending side wall formed around the periphery of said top wall adapted to fit onto the upper end of said container side wall in nesting relationship, said bottom wall being integrally formed around its periphery with an outwardly and upwardly 'extending skirt, said skirt being inturn integral- 1y formed with an upwardly extending and outwardly References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brand Oct. 8,

Wagner July 2A;

.Kruger Mar. 26, Locke "Feb. 8,

Cross -e, Mar. 11, Newhall Oct, 14,

Anderson Oct. 18, 

